sons of the soil- 第58部分

〃Ah；　how　bad　you　are！　you　are　the　master　of　us　all　in　wickedness。〃



〃Listen　to　me；　Marie；　I　like　the　peasants；　but　it　won't　do　for　any　one

of　you　to　come　between　my　teeth　and　a　mouthful　of　game。　Your　brother

Nicolas；　as　Aglae　said；　is　after　La　Pechina。　That　must　not　be；　I

protect　her；　that　girl。　She　is　to　be　my　heiress　for　thirty　thousand

francs；　and　I　intend　to　marry　her　well。　I　know　that　Nicolas；　helped　by

your　sister　Catherine；　came　near　killing　the　little　thing　this

morning。　You　are　to　see　your　brother　and　sister　at　once；　and　say　to

them：　'If　you　let　La　Pechina　alone；　Pere　Rigou　will　save　Nicolas　from

the　conscription。'〃



〃You　are　the　devil　incarnate！〃　cried　Marie。　〃They　do　say　you've　signed

a　compact　with　him。　Is　that　true？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Rigou；　gravely。



〃I　heard　it；　but　I　didn't　believe　it。〃



〃He　has　guaranteed　that　no　attacks　aimed　at　me　shall　hurt　me；　that　I

shall　never　be　robbed；　that　I　shall　live　a　hundred　years　and　succeed

in　everything　I　undertake；　and　be　as　young　to　the　day　of　my　death　as　a

two…year　old　cockerel〃



〃Well；　if　that's　so；〃　said　Marie；　〃it　must　be　DEVILISHLY　easy　for　you

to　save　my　brother　from　the　conscription〃



〃If　he　chooses；　that's　to　say。　He'll　have　to　lose　a　finger；〃　returned

Rigou。　〃I'll　tell　him　how。〃



〃Look　out；　you　are　taking　the　upper　road！〃　exclaimed　Marie。



〃I　never　go　by　the　lower　at　night；〃　said　the　ex…monk。



〃On　account　of　the　cross？〃　said　Marie；　naively。



〃That's　it；　sly…boots；〃　replied　her　diabolical　companion。



They　had　reached　a　spot　where　the　high…road　cuts　through　a　slight

elevation　of　ground；　making　on　each　side　of　it　a　rather　steep　slope；

such　as　we　often　see　on　the　mail…roads　of　France。　At　the　end　of　this

little　gorge；　which　is　about　a　hundred　feet　long；　the　roads　to

Ronquerolles　and　to　Cerneux　meet　and　form　an　open　space；　in　the　centre

of　which　stands　a　cross。　From　either　slope　a　man　could　aim　at　a　victim

and　kill　him　at　close　quarters；　with　all　the　more　ease　because　the

little　hill　is　covered　with　vines；　and　the　evil…doer　could　lie　in

ambush　among　the　briers　and　brambles　that　overgrow　them。　We　can

readily　imagine　why　the　usurer　did　not　take　that　road　after　dark。　The

Thune　flows　round　the　little　hill；　and　the　place　is　called　the　Close

of　the　Cross。　No　spot　was　ever　more　adapted　for　revenge　or　murder；　for

the　road　to　Ronquerolles　continues　to　the　bridge　over　the　Avonne　in

front　of　the　pavilion　of　the　Rendezvous；　while　that　to　Cerneux　leads

off　above　the　mail…road；　so　that　between　the　four　roads；to　Les

Aigues；　Ville…aux…Fayes；　Ronquerolles；　and　Cerneux；a　murderer　could

choose　his　line　of　retreat　and　leave　his　pursuers　in　uncertainty。



〃I　shall　drop　you　at　the　entrance　of　the　village；〃　said　Rigou　when

they　neared　the　first　houses　of　Blangy。



〃Because　you　are　afraid　of　Annette；　old　coward！〃　cried　Marie。　〃When

are　you　going　to　send　her　away？　you　have　had　her　now　three　years。　What

amuses　me　is　that　your　old　woman　still　lives；　the　good　God　knows　how

to　revenge　himself。〃







CHAPTER　IV



THE　TRIUMVIRATE　OF　VILLE…AUX…FAYES



The　cautious　usurer　compelled　his　wife　and　Jean　to　go　to　bed　and　to

rise　by　daylight；　assuring　them　that　the　house　would　never　be　attacked

if　he　sat　up　till　midnight；　and　he　never　himself　rose　till　late。　Not

only　had　he　thus　secured　himself　from　interruption　between　seven　at

night　and　five　the　next　morning　but　he　had　accustomed　his　wife　and

Jean　to　respect　his　morning　sleep　and　that　of　Hagar；　whose　room　was

directly　behind　his。



So；　on　the　following　morning；　about　half　past　six；　Madame　Rigou；　who

herself　took　care　of　the　poultry…yard　with　some　assistance　from　Jean；

knocked　timidly　at　her　husband's　door。



〃Monsieur　Rigou；〃　she　said；　〃you　told　me　to　wake　you。〃



The　tones　of　that　voice；　the　attitude　of　the　woman；　her　frightened　air

as　she　obeyed　an　order　the　execution　of　which　might　be　ill…received；

showed　the　utter　self…abnegation　in　which　the　poor　creature　lived；　and

the　affection　she　still　bore　to　her　petty　tyrant。



〃Very　good；〃　replied　Rigou。



〃Shall　I　wake　Annette？〃　she　asked。



〃No；　let　her　sleep；　she　has　been　up　half　the　night；〃　he　replied；

gravely。



The　man　was　always　grave；　even　when　he　allowed　himself　to　jest。

Annette　had　in　fact　opened　the　door　secretly　to　Sibilet；　Fourchon；　and

Catherine　Tonsard；　who　all　came　at　different　hours　between　eleven　and

two　o'clock。



Ten　minutes　later　Rigou；　dressed　with　more　care　than　usual；　came

downstairs　and　greeted　his　wife　with　a　〃Good…morning；　my　old　woman；〃

which　made　her　happier　than　if　counts　had　knelt　at　her　feet。



〃Jean；〃　he　said　to　the　ex…lay…brother；　〃don't　leave　the　house；　if　any

one　robs　me　it　will　be　worse　for　you　than　for　me。〃



By　thus　mingling　mildness　and　severity；　hopes　and　rebuffs；　the　clever

egoist　kept　his　three　slaves　faithful　and　close　at　his　heels；　like

dogs。



Taking　the　upper…road；　so…called；　to　avoid　the　Close　of　the　Cross；

Rigou　reached　the　square　of　Soulanges　about　eight　o'clock。



Just　as　he　was　fastening　his　rein　to　the　post　nearest　the　little　door

with　three　steps；　a　blind　opened　and　Soudry　showed　his　face；　pitted

with　the　small…pox；　which　the　expression　of　his　small　black　eyes

rendered　crafty。



〃Let's　begin　by　taking　a　crust　here　before　we　start；〃　he　said；　〃we

sha'n't　get　breakfast　at　Ville…aux…Fayes　before　one　o'clock。〃



Then　he　softly　called　a　servant…girl；　as　young　and　pretty　as　Annette；

who　came　down　noiselessly；　and　received　his　order　for　ham　and　bread；

after　which　he　went　himself　to　the　cellar　and　fetched　some　wine。



Rigou　contemplated　for　the　hundredth　time　the　well…known　dining…room；

floored　in　oak；　with　stuccoed　ceiling　and　cornice；　its　high　wainscot

and　handsome　cupboards　finely　painted；　its　porcelain　stone　and

magnificent　tall　clock；all　the　property　of　Mademoiselle　Laguerre。

The　chair…backs　were　in　the　form　of　lyres；　painted　white　and　highly

varnished；　the　seats　were　of　green　morocco　with　gilt　nails。　A　massive

mahogany　table　was　covered　with　green　oilcloth；　with　large　squares　of

a　deeper　shade　of　green；　and　a　plain　border　of　the　lighter。　The　floor；

laid　in　Hungarian　point；　was　carefully　waxed　by　Urbain　and　showed　the

care　which　ex…waiting…women　know　how　to　exact　out　of　their　servants。



〃Bah！　it　cost　too　much；〃　thought　Rigou　for　the　hundredth　time。　〃I　can

eat　as　good　a　dinner　in　my　room　as　here；　and　I　have　the　income　of　the

money　this　useless　splendor　would　have　wasted。　Where　is　Madame

Soudry？〃　he　asked；　as　the　mayor　returned　armed　with　a　venerable

bottle。



〃Asleep。〃



〃And　you　no　longer　disturb　her　slumbers？〃　said　Rigou。



The　ex…gendarme　winked　with　a　knowing　air；　and　pointed　to　the　ham

which　Jeannette；　the　pretty　maid；　was　just　bringing　in。



〃That　will　pick　you　up；　a　pretty　bit　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃It　was

cured　in　the　house；　we　cut　into　it　only　yesterday。〃



〃Where　did　you　find　her？〃　said　the　ex…Benedictine　in　Soudry's　ear。



〃She　is　like　the　ham；〃　replied　the　ex…gendarme；　winking　again；　〃I　have

had　her　only　a　week。〃



Jeannette；　still　in　her　night…cap；　with　a　short　petticoat　and　her　bare

feet　in　slippers；　had　slipped　on　a　bodice　made　with　straps　over　the

arms　in　true　peasant　fashion；　over　which　she　had　crossed　a　neckerchief

which　did　not　entirely　hide　her　fresh　and　youthful　attractions；　which

were　at　least　as　appetizing　as　the　ham　she　carried。　Short　and　plump；

with　bare　arms　mottled　red；　ending　in　large；　dimpled　hands　with　short

but　well…made　fingers；　she　was　a　picture　of　health。　The　face　was　that

of　a　true　Burgundian；ruddy；　but　white　about　the　temples；　throat；　and

ears；　the　hair　was　chestnut；　the　corners　of　the　eyes　turned　up　towards

the　top　of　the　ears；　the　nostrils　were　wide；　the　mouth　sensual；　and　a

little　down　lay　along　the　cheeks；　all　this；　together　with　a　jaunty

expression；　tempered　however　by　a　deceitfully　modest　attitude；　made

her　the　model　of　a　roguish　servant…girl。



〃On　my　honor；　Jeannette　is　as　good　as　the　ham；〃　said　Rigou。　〃If　I

hadn't　an　Annette　I　should　want　a　Jeannette。〃



〃One　is　as　good　as　the　other；〃　said　the　ex…gendarme；　〃for　your　Annette

is　fair　and　delicate。　How　is　Madame　Rigou；is　she　asleep？〃　added

Soudry；　roughly；　to　let　Rigou　see　he　understood　his　joke。



〃She　wakes　with　the　cock；　but　she　goes　to　roost　with　the　hens；〃

replied　Rigou。　〃As　for　me；　I　sit　up　and　read　the　'Constitutionnel。'　My

wife　lets　me　sleep　at　night　and　in　the　morning　too；　she　wouldn't　come

into　my　room　for　all　the　world。〃



〃It's　just　the　other　way　here；〃　replied　Jeanette。　〃Madame　sits　up　with

the　company　playing　cards；　sometimes　there　are　sixteen　of　them　in　the

salon；　Monsieur　goes　to　bed　at　eight　o'clock；　and　we　get　up　at

daylight〃



〃You　think　that's　different；〃　said　Rigou；　〃but　it　comes　to　the　same

thing　in　the　end。　Well；　my　dear；　you　come　to　me　and　I'll　send　Annette

here；　and　that　will　be　the　same　thing　and　different　too。〃



〃Old　scamp；　you'll　make　her　ashamed；〃　said　Soudry。



〃Ha！　gendarme；　you　want　your　field　to　yourself！　Well；　we　all　get　our

happiness　where　we　can　find　it。〃



Jeanette；　by　her　master's　order；　disappeared　to　lay　out　his　clothes。



〃You　must　have　promised　to　marry　her　when　your　wife　dies；〃　said　Rigou。



〃At　your　age　and　mine；〃　replied　Soudry；　〃there's　no　other　way。〃



〃With　girls　of　any　ambition　it　would　be　one　way　to　become　a　widower；〃

added　Rigou；　〃especially　if　Madame　Soudry　found　fault　with　Jeannette

for　her　way　of　scrubbing　the　staircase。〃



The　remark　made　the　two　husbands　pensive。　When　Jeannette　returned　and

announced　that　all　was　ready；　Soudry　said　to　her；　〃Come　and　help　me！〃

a　precaution　which　made　the　ex…monk　smile。



〃There's　a　difference；　indeed！〃　said　he。　〃As　for　me；　I'd　leave　you

alone　with　Annette；　my　good　friend。〃



A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　Soudry；　in　his　best　clothes；　got　into　the

wicker　carriage；　and　the　two　friends　drove　round　the　lake　of